Explosion-engine and method of operating the same.



N. T. HARRINGTON. ExPLosloN ENGINE AND NETHoD or OPERATING THE sANlE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 8. |909.

Patented July 27,1915.

W'nessas [11 :fw/z for .NORMAN T. HRRINGTON, 0E LANSING, MICHIGQN.

EXPLOSION-NGINE AND METHOD F OPERATIG- THE SAME.

masses.

Specicati eters Patent. Patented July 27, 1915'.

Application` led February 8, 1909. Serial N o. @76,74%

T0 all 'whom it 'may concern! Be it known that I, NORMAN T. `I-IARBING- TON, a citizen of the United States of America, residin at Lansing, in the county of Ingham and tate of Michigan, have in= vented certain new and useful Improvements in Explosion-Engines. and Methods of Operating the Same, of which the 4following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

' ing the engine whereby satisfactory results are obtained. p

In the drawing the apparatus is shown in diagrammatic longitudinal section.

In the present state of the art, it is usual to provide engines designed for the use of kerosene and other heavy fuels with carbureters which are more complicated Iin their organization than are employed for gasolene. Generally the oil, or the mixture of the same with air, is preheated before introduction into the cylinder, or, in some cases, explosion ed surface drawn air.` Such constructions have not proven thoroughly reliable under practical conditions, and difficulty is frequently experienced both by reason of an imperfectly formed explosive mixture and by the sooting and foulingof the spark plug'.

With the present invention, the explosive chamber by contact with `the heatmixturel is formed and 'maintained by a point just totally Adifferent method-"wiz, by dispensing with a preheating or volatilization of .the oil and the formation of a cold mixture by finely atomizing the oil and mixing the same with the air, the mixture being introduced in'this condition into the explosion chamber.

' This method'produces a more highly com- .bustible mixture than where the oil is premore,

heated but less finely divided, and, furthera heavier charge of cold mixture may be introduced into the cylinder than is possible where the mixturehas been dilated by the oil is vvolatilized directly in theY vand is' then mixed with the inpreheating. I have found however `lother difficulties to overcome, one of which is the` fouling of the spark plug. Thus if the plug is arranged in the usual position-that is, in the direct path of the indrawn explosive mixture, 1t will soon become carbonized and rendered inoperative. I have avoided this diiiiculty by guarding or shielding the spark plug from the direct current, and preferably by shifting its location to a point in the explosion chamber which is removed from the inlet.

Still another diiiculty to overcome is the accumulation of the oil upon the head of the cylinder during the compression of the mixture, this occurring where the head is watercooled as is usual with gasolene engines. This may .be avoided by dispensing with the water-j acket and permitting the head to become heated to a point above thevaporizing point of the oil, but where this is done another diiculty is encountered-wiz., danv ger of preignition of the compressed charge.

I have overcome this latter diiiiculty by introducing with the explosive mixture a certain quantity of water, the effect being to lower the temperature of the compressed gaseous charge. Thus in my completely reorganized machine the explosive mixture is first formedby finely atomizing the oil and mixing with air in a cold condition; is then introduced into the cylinder, together with a certain quantity of water; Iis compressed in an explosion chamber havinga hot wall, and is ignited from a spark plug which is out of the direct path of the incoming explosive vmixture.

In carrying out my invention various constructions of apparatus may be employed, but, as illustrated, the mixture is irstformed lin a carbureter of the Venturi type that is, one having a double tapered air induction tube, and the jet nozzle discharging'at a beyond the smallest diameter of the tube. This carbureter which within certain limits maintains a constant ratio between the air current and the liquid discharged from the nozzle, I use not only for introducing the oil, but also for roportioning the water, and, as shown, inlet nozzle centrally arranged within the double tapered tube B, while Gis the water inlet nozzle entering Vfrom theside of the tube B. Both of thesenozzles A and C are 'controlled by adjustable valves D E s o that any desired proportion of ingredients may is the oil i be maintained. n The rst -spraying'of the oil is eected as it 'is discharged from the nozzle A, but this isinsufficient to finely atomize all of the oil. I have therefore ar-` ranged foraminousscreens F in the tube B and at intervals in the connected 'conduit G which lead to the valve chestH and into the explosion chamber I. The latter is formed by a recess inthe cylinder head'J which is unjacketed and will be heated by the explosions to a relatively high temperature. The spark plug K is located in the wall Qf the head J. at one side of the inlet port L froml the valve chest.

With the construction as described in' operation the suction stroke of the piston will draw in a proportionate charge of-air, oil and water into the tube B, and will then vforce the materials successively through the foraminous screens which break up or atomize the oil and water and cause lit to be carried in suspension but in the liquid form in the air current. Upon 'the' compression stroke this' charge 'is compressed between the walls of the head J of said piston M, which after the engine is in full operation are both heated. Thus when the atomized oil comes into contact with these walls it will be vaporized, but at the same time the presenceof water in proper proPOltion will prevent the temperature of the gas .from

rising to the ignition point. Thus the combined mixture when exploded is composed of mixed air and vapor of oil, together with the minute particles of liquid oil in suspension in the air. The latter will burn without smoke, asunder theheat of explosion thef are practically instantaneously vapor- 1ze To start-the engine, it is referable to employ a more volatile. fuel t an the kerosene or other heavy oil normally used, and, as illustrated,-the carbureter is provided with a third nozzle N controlled by a valve O and connectediwith a gasolene supply P. This valve O may be opened in the starting of the engine and the valve D forthe kerol sene supply closed, and after the walls of the explosion chamber have'been heated the valve O'is closed and the valve D opened. A second device for starting the engine is lformed by a casing Q connected with the explosion chamber and projecting so as'to be capable ofbeingheated by 'a torch. This will furnish suflic'ient initial-heat to make the engine start with the kerosene mixture.

What I claim as my invention is:

. 1. The method of generating power in explosion engines which consists in forming and introducing into the cylinder a mixture of air'and finely divided or atomized heavy liquid fuel held in suspension therein, in compressing 'the charge in an explosion chamber, the walls whereof are heated materially above the vaporized point of the oil,

'in introducing water tov limit the temperature ofthe compressed charge below the igniting point, and in then igniting the charge.

. 2. The method of operating explosion engines, which consists in forming a mixture of air and heavy hydrocarbon oil, the temperature of the mixture being below the vaporizing point of the oil, in passing said mixture through fine mesh screening to finely atomize the oil, in introducing the mixture into an explosion chamber, the walls of which are of a' temperature materially above the vaporizing point of the oil, and in then ignitingthe charge.

3. The method of operating explosion engines which consists in introducing into the explosion chamber a cold mixture of vair and finely divided or atomized heavy oil and water, in maintaining the walls^ of said explosion chamber materially above the vaporizing point of the oil, and in then igniting the charge.

4. The method of operating explosion engines, which consists in forming a mixture of air and heavy hydrocarbon oil, the temperature of the mixture being below the vaporizing point of the oil, in passing said mixture through fine mesh screening to finely atomize the oil, in introducing the mixture into an explosion chamber, and in paratively cold mixture of air and finely "atomized heavyI hydrocarbon oil and water held in suspension in the air, in compressing Said charge in`an explosion chamber, the walls whereof are heated materially above the vaporizing point, and in then igniting l the charge.

7. The method of generating power in explosion engines which consists in forming a mixture of air, heavy hydrocarbon oil and -water, the temperature of the mixture being below the vaporizing point of the oil, in passing said mixture through screens Iof fine mesh to finely )atomize the oil and water, in transferring said mixture with the oil in suspension therein into the cylinder, in compressing sai'd mixture in the cylinder the walls whereof are heated materially above the vaporizing point, vand in then igniting the charge.'

8. The method of generating power in explosion engines which consists in forming a mixture of air, heavy hydrocarbon oil and water, in passing said mixture through a plurality of screens of fine mesh to atomize the oil and water, the temperature of the mixture being below the vaporizing point of the oil, in introducing said mixture with the oil and water in suspension therein,

10 compressing said mixture in a cylinder, the

walls whereof are materially heated above the vaporizin point of the oil, and in then ignting the c arge.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature in presence of two witnesses..

NORMAN T. HARRINGTON.

Witnesses: Nimm KINsnLLA H. J. Blinxrmr.v 

